The end of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th century was marked by a new aircraft, which was named an airship. At that time, any aircraft in the sky became a sensation and the object of the realization of a human dream.
Air transport has become a regular part of everyday life today. But nevertheless, the appearance of such a giant as an airship neither in those years, nor now can leave anyone indifferent. The era of airships lasted only 30 years, but left a noticeable mark on history.
The first airship was designed in Germany and appeared thanks to the extraordinary talent of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. On June 17, 1899, construction began on the first Zeppelin - the LZ version
On July 2, 1900, the first controlled Zeppelin aircraft, the LZ1, took off. The launch was made near the town of Manzel in the Lake Constance region.
Despite numerous predictions about the failure of the venture, the experiment was successful, and the Zeppelin apparatus demonstrated its full ability to fly.
Despite the many merits of the Zeppelin airships, the end of its existence came after the collapse of the Hindenburg airship, and this was actually the end of the commercial use of airships for transport purposes.
Promotional video:
But time does not stand still, and today there is an urgent need to revive the lighter than air apparatus for many purposes, both defense and civilian needs.
What an airship can do, no other aircraft can do. It is the simplicity of design and low cost in production that makes the airship out of competition in performing flight functions. In addition, the creation of the latest materials, mechanisms and technologies in modern production can become a significant help in the construction of airships.
The dream of the past generations of affordable air transport can become a reality today.
But for this, one should think carefully about the shortcomings inherent in the past designs of airships.
This is the low maneuverability of the vehicles, their dependence on the mooring masts, the general flight safety associated with the strength characteristics of the elements that make up the airship.
What would a modern airship look like?
First of all, the carrying balloon of the airship must be dismembered into separate sections filled with inert gas. All this balloon host should be enclosed in a kind of exo skeleton made of modern lightweight and durable composite materials. Provision should be made for easy replacement of balloon sections under unforeseen circumstances, both in flight and on the ground.
Some elements from other aircraft should be introduced into the airship design. A similar experience has been used, for example, in convertiplanes, which are a symbiosis of an airplane and a helicopter.
Such additions to one design from another mechanism brings a lot to the newly created project.
unexpected benefits.
A row of propellers that can rotate 180 ° attached to its middle part can become such an element of addition to the airship design.
This addition will allow the airship to acquire a number of positive features.
1. Significantly facilitate the start when lifting the airship and landing it on a suitable platform on the ground.
2. It will not be necessary to build a mooring mast, which is used in modern conditions of airship operation.
3. Make an emergency landing in case of unforeseen circumstances, due to the work of the propellers.
4. Significantly increase the airship's carrying capacity.
5. To increase the maneuverability of the airship. The airship will be able to turn around in a matter of minutes and change course to the opposite one.
The use of such airships will be most effective in areas remote from places where human habitation is concentrated, especially in countries with large areas of land. This is especially true for Russia.
Deep forests, tundra, mountainous areas, areas of the Far North …
Where it is necessary to serve the northern drilling rigs, reindeer herders' camps, remote settlements and villages in the middle belt, to provide medical and other assistance.
For more than 100 years, the military potential of lighter-than-air aircraft has been fully realized. Airships and their analogs (such as a stratospheric balloon, aerostat, an aerosonde) of rigid and semi-rigid construction performed various tasks in two world wars, including reconnaissance, bombing and anti-submarine defense, search and rescue of people, as well as transportation of various goods.
Thanks to advances in materials and technology, interest has now reawakened in the use of such systems over a possible future theater of operations.
All this also applies to peacetime. So that the airships will always find work.
Mikhail Zosimenko